


back to me

by sweetpeater



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Surprise Homecoming, oh my god i love these
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-04 00:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2902550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetpeater/pseuds/sweetpeater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas Eve.<br/>It's Christmas Eve, and Hank is alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	back to me

It's Christmas Eve.

It's Christmas Eve, and Hank is alone.

Alex is gone, fighting in god-knows-where Iraq, leaving Hank perpetually worried about his boyfriend's safety. 

"What if he's gotten himself shot?" Hank worries to Raven at least once a week, if his and Alex's weekly Skype call comes even a minute late. Raven sighs and says the same thing every week:

"Be patient."

Two weeks ago, Hank notices over the fuzzy picture (which obscures Alex's face to a maddening degree) that the blonde is sporting a mean-looking gash on his cheekbone. "What happened?" Hank asks, gently touching a finger to the screen.

"Oh, this?" Alex touches the wound. "Flying debris. Little cherry bomb, no one's majorly hurt. Hey, I'm fine," he continues after seeing the worry etched into Hank's forehead. 

Hank sighs. "Please be careful."

Alex smiles, a tiny curve of his mouth that you could miss if you weren't looking for it. "I will."

A few moments of silence pass in which Hank simply looks at Alex, eyes tracing the sharp jut of his jaw and simple point of his nose. Then, Alex clears his throat and drops his eyes.

"So, I heard when I'll be back," he says.

Hank's heart jumps into his throat. "When?" he croaks.

"August."

It seems like everything stops for a moment. Alex flexes his jaw, averting his eyes from the screen. 

"Oh." Hank breathes.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I won't be home for Christmas." Alex's voice is breaking. "Not this year."

Hank just nods.

There's shouting in the background. Alex turns, then stands and crouches down to the screen. "I gotta go, talk to you next week. I'm sorry."

And he's gone.

* * *

 

Now, Hank is working on a dissertation on molecular genetics. He's well on his way to earning his online Masters degree in genetics, having graduated with a Bachelor's four years prior. He's in Charles's library, laptop propped up on the little table and a mug of tea in his hand. 

Raven comes in when he's through the first two paragraphs, sitting down across from him. "Are you coming out for dinner? Erik made pork chops and potatoes au gratin."

Hank shrugs. "Yeah, maybe."

She sighs and leans forward, pushing his laptop closed a bit. "I know it's hard. But you can't stay cooped up in here all day. Everyone wants to see you downstairs. They hardly ever see you because you hardly ever come out." 

Hank shrugs again, sipping his tea. "I prefer the comfort of my room. Or the lab. Or the library."

Raven pinches the bridge of her nose, blonde hair falling in front of her face. "Hank, you can't be a recluse. Just...come out for dinner, please?"

Pushing his laptop closed, he stands. "Alright. I suppose I'm pretty hungry." Raven grabs his hand and tugs him along to the kitchen.

* * *

 

When he gets to the kitchen, the first thing he notices isn't the food, nor the delectable aromas, nor the others peeping through the doorway.

It's Alex, leaning against the marble island. "Hey, Bozo." 

Hank is frozen, rooted to his spot on the wood floor. Raven pushes gently at his back, and he runs, straight into Alex's open arms.

He breathes in the familiar scent of leather, citrus, and something else he can't place but is so distinctly _Alex_ it makes his heart ache. There's a few _aww_ s from the cluster in the hallway, but Hank ignores them. Instead, he takes Alex's face between his hands and kisses him.

It's chaste, their proximity to others kind of forces that, but it's the best feeling that either of them have felt in a long time. When they break apart, Alex's eyes are dancing with mirth and he grins. 

"I missed you, too." 


End file.
